540 



FAMILY XVIII. EROTYLJDzE. 



are of one hue. The name is based upon the typical genus Erotglus,. 

 a Greek word meaning "friendly" or "pleasing." probably in allu- 

 sion to the contrasted colors of many of the species. They occur for 

 the most part upon fleshy fungi growing upon logs or trees, though 

 the members of the genus Languria are found upon plants and are 

 more or less injurious in habit. 



The Erotylidae are most closely allied to the Endomychida? and 

 differ mainly in having the tarsi 5-jointed, but with the fourth joint 

 usually very small, the first three more or less broad and pubescent 

 beneath. The thorax has not the deeply impressed sub-basal and 

 longitudinal lines so often seen in the Endomychidae, and the form 

 is usually more elongate and more convex. They have the mentum 

 of variable form, its front margin bisinuate; maxillary palpi 4- 

 jointecl, the fourth joint usually broadly triangular; antenna? 11- 

 jointed, inserted at the sides of the front, on the inner front margin 

 of the eyes, the last three or four joints forming a distinct club; 

 head small, immersed in the thorax to the hind margin of the eyes ; 

 thorax with side margins distinct ; front coxal cavities usually closed 

 (open in Languria), always separated by the prosternum; elytra 

 entire, covering the abdomen, the latter with five nearly equal seg- 

 ments; tarsi claws simple. 



The larvae of but few species of the family are well known. That 

 of Languria mozardi, which bores into and feeds upon the stems of 

 clover, is elongate and subcylindrical. about S mm. in length, the 

 anal segment slightly narrower than the preceding. In color it is 

 light yellow, the mandibles and anal appendages brown. The larva 

 of a common fungus feeding form. Tritoma humeralis, is moderately 

 elongate, nearly cylindrical but tapering to each end. the ninth seg- 

 ment bearing two short, erect, slightly recurved hooks. In color it is 

 nearly white, the head yellowish. When full fed it pupates beneath 

 the ground, the pupal stage lasting eight days. 



The principal literature treating of the North American species 

 of Erotylidm is embodied in the following papers: 



LeConte.—' 1 Synopsis of the Erotylidae of the United States." in 



Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat, Sci.. VII, 1854, 158-163. 

 Crotch. — "Synopsis of the Erotylidae of Boreal America." in 



Trans. Amer. Bat. Soc, IV. 1873. 349-358. 

 Wickham. — "The Endomychida? and Erotylidae of Ontario and 



Quebec." in Can. Ent., XXVI. 1894. 337-339. 

 Schceffer. — "Synoptic Table of Languria." in Journ. N. Y. Ent. 



Soc, XII, 1904, 198-200. 



